(AP)- Iraqi forces have evacuated more than a thousand people held as hostages by ISIS in two villages near Ramadi. The military continued to clear villages in the area, most recently Zangura and Qariya Asriya northwest of the provincial capital. Earlier this month, Iraqi troops pushed to retake territory northwest of Samarra, 60 miles (95 kilometres) from Baghdad, and cut IS supply lines in advance of an eventual push on Mosul. Yet, as operations move further away from the capital, government forces are increasingly plagued by logistical shortcomings. Last month, Iraqi and coalition forces declared the western city of Ramadi fully-liberated. According to Iraqi officials the fight was led by the Popular Mobilisation Forces, the government-sanctioned coalition of mostly Shiite militia groups, who have proved to be one of the most effective fighting forces on the ground. The ground troops, including members of the Iraqi military, were backed by both coalition and Iraqi air strikes.
